Mail-bag crane



(No Model.)

L. P. GREENE.

MAIL BAG CRANE.

No. 463,741., Patented Nov..24, 1891.

STATES PATENT GEEICE.

LAwRENoE P. GREENE, on TYRONE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'ro ED. MORRISON, on ALBIA, IOWA.

MAI L-BAG CRAN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,741, dated November 24, 1891.

' Application filed May 16, 1891. Serial No, 39 3,051. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE P. GREENE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Tyrone, in the county of Monroe and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bag Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mail-bag cranes in which the bag-holders on the crane-arms are retained in proper position to deliver the bag to a passing train; and the objects of my invention are, first, to insure the certain delivery of the bag to the catcher on the car without danger of breaking or injuring the crane-arms or holders, and, second, to provide means for the ready reversal of the bag-holder, so that the bag can be delivered to a train passing in either direction. I attain these objects by the constructions shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are side views of the outer ends of two ordinary crane-arms having my holding devices secured thereto and in engagement with the rings of a mail-bag, the mail-bag itself not being shown. Fig. 3 is a top view of one of the crane-arms shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the retaining-bolt.

Similarlet-ters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As the bag-holders on both crane-arms are precisely the same, a description of one will suffice for both.

The crane-arms O C have formed on their upper sides a semicircular groove about one inch deep by one-quarter of an inch wide, which groove is provided with a central partition or stop Z2.

D is the bag-holder, which consists of a horizontally-projecting catch 0, adapted to engage the ring A of the mail-bag and having a vertical part 7; rigidly secured by bolts or rivets to the vertical-wall (Z of a metal frame having the horizontally projecting arms e c. This frame inclasps and is pivoted to the outer end of the crane-arm by means of a bolt E, loosely fitted in holes in the horizontal arms 6 e and a corresponding hole through the crane-arms, and the said bolt is secured by nut or tap f.

Bis awind-guard spring to prevent the accidental disengagement of the ring of the mail-bag from the catch a by the wind or other cause. This guard-spring is rigidly secured to the vertical wall (:1 by bolts or nuts, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As now constructed, when the bag-holders are set to deliver the bag to a train passing in one direction there areno means provided for preventing their accidental displacement or their swinging to the opposite sides of the crane-arms, thereby incurring danger of the crane-arms or holders being injured or broken when the bag is engaged by the catcher on the passing train.

To obviate the danger of injury or breakage, I employ a retaining bolt or pin G about three-quarters of an inch long, provided with a handle or ring 9 at one end and the shoulder or stop h at its other end. This bolt is fitted loosely in the upper horizontal arm 6 of the holder, so that its lower end or shoul der 72. will normally rest in the groove a at one side or other of the stop b.

It is evident from Fig. 3 that the holder D is limited in its swinging movement to one side or other of the central line of the cranearm by reason of the engagement of the shoulder h of the bolt G with the central stop or partition I).

If it is desired to reverse the holders in order to deliver a mail-bag to a train passing in the opposite direction from that of the last train to which a bag was delivered, it is only necessary that the operator slightly raise the bolt G by the rings g, so that its lower end will clear the stops b, and then swing the holders around, so that on releasing the bolt G the shoulders or lower ends 71. will engage with opposite ends of the groove a.

I am aware that. prior to my invention a mail-bag crane has been used with common hooks for mail-bags to hang on. I therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly, but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a mail-bag crane, the combination, with the crane arms C C, having semicircular the horizontal swing of the holders, and Windgrooves formed in the upper sides thereof, guard springs B, substantially as described. said grooves having central partitions or stops 1), of holders D D, pivotally secured to the LANVRENOE P. GREENE. crane-arm, bolts G, fitted loosely in the hold- Vitnesses:

ers and adapted to engage said grooves 011 JOHN T. F. MOGRATH,

either side of the stops 1), and thereby limit THOMAS ONEILL. 

